Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘Grano White’

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Grano White’ characterized by medium-sized blooms with white ray florets and yellow centers, prolific branching, a natural season flowering date of September 15, a blooming period of 7 weeks, an obtriangular plant habit and a rapid and spreading growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

Variety denomination: ‘Grano White’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Grano White’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a decorative type inflorescence, a natural season flowering date around September 15 and a blooming period of 7 weeks. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant.

‘Grano White’ is a seedling resulting from the open pollination among groups of un-named and unpatented chrysanthemum cultivars maintained under the control of the inventor for breeding purposes. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as one flowering plant by Rob Noodelijk on a cultivated field in Woubrugge, The Netherlands in September 2005 The plant has been asexually reproduced by cuttings in greenhouses at Woubrugge, The Netherlands over a two year period. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexual propagations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of the new cultivar when grown under normal horticultural practices in Woubrugge, The Netherlands.

-   -   1. White inflorescences with yellow centers;     -   2. An obtriangular plant habit; and     -   3. A spreading and rapid growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying photographs, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the individual inflorescences, bud and leaves.

FIG. 2 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Chrysanthemum morifolium. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown outdoors in Woubrugge, The Netherlands under natural day length and temperature and planted in week 22 in 2005 and 2006. The natural blooming date of this crop was September 15. The average height of the plants was 48 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces medium-sized blooms with white ray florets and yellow centers and has a blooming period of 7 weeks.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Grano White’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is The Royal Horticultural Society color chart, edition 1995.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF ‘GRANO WHITE’

-   Plant:     -   -   Form.—Obtriangular.         -   Growth habit.—Spreading.         -   Growth rate.—Rapid.         -   Height.—47 cm to 50 cm.         -   Width.—50 cm to 52 cm. -   Branches:     -   -   Stem.—Color: RHS 137C (green). Strength: Strong.             Brittleness: Branches are brittle. Anthocyanin coloration:             Absent.         -   Length of lateral branch (from top to bottom).—17 cm to 22             cm.         -   Diameter of lateral branch.—0.3 cm.         -   Lateral branch color.—RHS 137C (green).         -   Lateral branch attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Branching (average number of lateral branches).—Very             prolific with 11 breaks after pinching. -   Leaves:     -   -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A (green). Lower surface: RHS             137C (green).         -   Size.—General: Medium Length: 4.5 cm to 5.0 cm. Width: 3.2             cm to 3.7 cm.         -   Quantity (number per lateral branch).—7 to 8.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Crenate.         -   Texture.—Upper surface: Glabrous. Lower surface: Pubescent.         -   Venation arrangement.—Palmate.         -   Shape of base of sinus between lateral lobes.—Round.         -   Margin of sinus between lateral lobes.—Diverging. -   Bud:     -   -   Size.—General: medium. Cross-section: 1.2 cm. Height: 1.5             cm.         -   Involucral bracts.—2 rows, length 0.7 cm, width 0.3 cm.         -   Involucral bracts among disc-florets.—Absent.         -   Involucral bracts color.—RHS 138A (green). -   Bloom:     -   -   Type.—Double.         -   Size.—General: Medium. Fully expanded: 4.8 cm to 5.3 cm.         -   Number of blooms per branch.—Approximately 6 to 7 blooms per             branch.         -   Performance on the plant (blooming period).—7 weeks         -   Fragrance.—Typical chrysanthemum; slight.         -   Tonality from distance.—A garden mum with white             inflorescences and a yellowish center.         -   Discoloration to color.—None.         -   Peduncle.—Length: 8 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm. Color: RHS 137C             (green).         -   Natural season blooming date.—September 15. -   Ray florets:     -   -   Texture.—Both the upper and lower surfaces are smooth.         -   Number.—130 to 150.         -   Cross-section.—Flat.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 155D (white). Lower surface: RHS             155D (white).         -   Longitudinal axis of majority.—Straight.         -   Length of corolla tube.—0.3 cm.         -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Length.—1.6 cm to 1.8 cm.         -   Width.—0.5 cm to 0.6 cm.         -   Ratio length/width.—Medium. -   Disc florets:     -   -   Color of center of the inflorescence             (disc-florets).—Immature: RHS 22A (yellow-orange). Mature:             RHS 13A (yellow).         -   Disc diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Distribution of disc florets.—A few, visible at all stages             of flowering.         -   Shape.—Funnel-shaped.         -   Color.—RHS 145A (yellow-green).         -   Receptacle shape.—Domed flat. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen (present in disc florets only).—Absent.         -   Pollen.—Absent.         -   Style.—Thin.         -   Style color.—RHS 144A (yellow-green).         -   Style length.—0.3 cm.         -   Stigmas color.—RHS 144A (yellow-green).         -   Stigma width.—0.1 cm.         -   Ovaries.—Enclosed in calyx. -   Fruit/Seed set: Seeds are produced in small quantities; are ovate,     RHS 199A (grey-brown) and 0.15 cm in length.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

-   ‘Grano White’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Yohelga’ (U.S.     Plant Pat. No. 13,811) in that ‘Grano White’ has a stronger     vigor/growth habit than ‘Yohelga’. Additionally, ‘Grano White’ has     double inflorescences with small disc florets and white     inflorescences with yellow centers, while ‘Yohelga’ has white     inflorescences with ivory centers. 

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 